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I've always said that the MLB Draft is the most anti-climactic event in baseball. No one helps the parent team anytime soon. The Baltimore Orioles will prove that with flying colors this year as I simply do not see any fast moving prospects from this draft class.

Hunter Harvey was a fine selection and the team got highly rated talent for it's choice and reports are that he's very willing to sign. Yes, his father was a closer and he's been around the game. That said he's just now getting out of high school so it's going to be a long process of development. The good news is that his fastball is plus now and he has time to get his secondary pitches up to snuff.

Josh Hart is an outstanding CF prospect that profiles as the type of talent that the team has failed in recent years to develop. The talent is there, just don't expect it to blossom right away. He's got speed with the bath and in his legs. He doesn't project as a power guy. He also is reportedly to not have the best arm. However, he's got plenty of range. In my opinion this is the wisest choice the team made on day 1 and 2. The parent club needs run producing players which is exactly what got Hart drafted so high. The trick here is getting him signed and begin his pro instruction this season. While the GCL won't give fans much of a peak at what the team has gotten in Hart. It would acclimate this young man to the pro game and give the team a good view of where he fits soonest. Also, what are his biggest weaknesses to work on.

Chance Sisco Apart from having a pretty good bat and arm for a Catcher coming out of High school. What little I've uncovered is that his work behind the plate is going to be a project as he's reportedly on the raw side. I can find little information regarding how willing to sign he is. It's just an opinion, but this strikes me as the type of prospect that will need two go rounds at Delmarva before moving up. The position in the minors is thin with talent. So developing a back stop makes complete sense. Question is just how raw is he?

Stephen Tarpley Looks like an excellent value pick. Toolsy! He's got a good fastball now and three secondary pitches. The secondary pitches all need work but that is what your minor league teams are for. You couple that with the fact that his arm hasn't been overworked for a college player and you likely made a pretty good choice. How fast he moves is likely up for debate as rushing is never wise. However, in two years time with good health he could well be a hot prospect. Which is my guess, a year in Delmarva, a year in Frederick and then sky is the limit for him. Like most Oriole prospects he'll be given every opportunity to work as a starter. Considering he's a third round pick and a lefty, he's an outstanding value.

Jonah Heim Calling Heim organizational depth is likely premature. He's not seen as a high upside selection, but possesses just enough to have a little projection left .He's not that advanced and more what you see is what you get. With the team having needs at the position he is likely in a good place for himself. He will have a chance to work his way up.

Travis Seabrooke Another LHP youngster, this was one of Canada's top prospects this year. He's Plenty tall and projectable. He's got decent velocity now with his fastball and can get better with time. His secondaries need a lot of work. Professional coaching will have a good arm to work with and prove their worth with this young man. Personally I like this pick. Left handers do not grow on trees. Even if his long term major league limit is as a reliever (Not decided by any means) then he absolutely will be a good return on the team's investment. How willing he is to sign is unknown.

Alex Murphy Another prep prospect at Catcher. He's a Maryland player. He's said he's willing to sign and while that is encouraging. Little is known otherwise. Hopefully, the sudden logjam of young talent doesn't restrict Alex Murphy to short season clubs. I worry that because of the influx of players at the position some won't get the proper amount of playing time and exposure to succeed.

Drew Dosch Likely drafted do to his plate discipline. This young man only stuck out 21 in 224 at bats. How good his bat is will likely decide his positional fate. He has the range for 3B and the arm is considered "Good Enough" for that spot as well. He's left handed and has a pretty good swing. It likely won't bring anything more than average power long term. However, this strikes me as another solid choice. He could become a solid corner utility player or even a left handed designated hitter. Something the team hasn't addressed often or wisely in the past.

Trey Mancini Not a lock to sign. Pretty good hitter in college at 1B. How good his power and hit tool is up for debate. I know he was listed inside of Baseball America's top 250. The need at the position in the lower minors was there. This was a sound value choice for the club.

Mitch Horacek Big, tall Dartmouth left. It's really hard to know what the team landed here so late. I do know he had three complete games and a solid ERA this year (2.20) in 45 innings. Opinion: Solid value choice should at least become a workhorse in the minor leagues. If he signs, this should offer our lower level minor league coaches another sound arm to work with and coach. Delmarva tickets should sell reasonably well next year.

Austin Wynns The fourth Catcher the team drafts in the top ten rounds. The team may have chosen a solid player here. However it's created it's own problem in trying to resolve another. Regardless Wynns is reputed to be a pretty good defender and should sign. He exceeded expectations in college with the bat. What is his ceiling is undetermined. Opinion: This strikes me as decent organizational depth. Considering the team's apparent weakness at the position our scouting department saw strength in numbers regarding the position. Also if a prep catcher doesn't sign we've another able body for our farm system.

Grade: C-I am no scout. Just another fan. I can't see myself putting down any of these young men the team selected. However, I can be somewhat critical of how the draft was handled. The C- grade may seem pessimistic and premature. However, the team has multiple needs and only two were addressed strongly early in this draft. I think we as fans can walk away feeling really good about the selections of Harvey, Hart and Tarpley. Harvey wants to go pro and has the tools to become a pretty good starting pitcher some day. It's just a matter of development time. Hart is a very exciting draftee in my opinion and the type of athlete the team should try to develop more often. I don't expect him to tear up the SAL next season or anything unrealistic. Nor, do I think of him as being an athlete trying to play baseball as members here have suggested like Xavier Avery. This kids a ball player and looks like a good run producer. As for Tarpley, you can think of him as less of a project. Perhaps that means back end starter. Though being left handed and having four pitches going for him you can feel really good about that. How much work his secondary pitches need and how long a process remains to be seen. I like the pick.

It has been pretty obvious the team has been thin in it's farm system at Catcher for a while now. Taking four of them within your top ten picks seems a tad excessive. I can't help but be nervous regarding the team's ability to sign all four of them. Then if they all do sign. Are two of them going to be stuck with short season clubs this summer and next? Catchers are flat out tough to develop. Most can't hold up at the position or have knee issues down the road. Carefully limiting work load is part of the solution, though they too need repetition and playing time to grow. Frankly, I would rather see the team use a top 150 choice on the position each year and amass talent this way then over reacting in a single draft.

Fans can also feel good about the team grabbing left handed pitching. There is never enough of it. How good a prospect Travis Seabrooke is remains to be seen. Perhaps adding strength can add velocity and pro coaching helps a great deal. Hopefully the same applies to Mitch Horacek. Assuming both sign throwing Hunter Harvey into the mix, like I teased above the Shorebirds should have a pretty good season next year.

I think my other big gripe is that no middle infielders were added to the fold. Again, with SS and 2B being hard to find. It would have been nice to see the team pick one or the other up. Regardless of the strength of this draft there is always talent to be found. That said we over reacted at catcher and ignored other needs. Hopefully the C- grade has me eating crow in three years time. For that to happen talent and organizational depth at Catcher will have to become a team strength in that time frame. Easy to say, tough to do. Also there is more of the draft to take place as I type this. Though clearly the meat and potatoes of the 2013 draft is already decided.

I agree with you. There is nothing from this years draft that will be helping the team in the near future. It amazes me that college level, advanced players are not a priority to the organization. For a team that wont spend any money in free agency you would think they would be aggressive in getting close to MLB ready talent in the first few rounds....... real head scratcher...... it appears we are set at catcher???

Not by a long shot sadly. First thing, we have to get these guys signed. Then get them into a short season club this season just to take appraisal on where they really are and how well they take instruction.

Then (Lucky us) get to wait until next spring training and hope that these guys are as talented as their draft position would suggest. Hopefully they (2 of them) do well in Delmarva next year and it looks like we have something.

There is nothing wrong with high school talent. It just takes longer. Higher risk, higher reward. It's getting them signed that scares the hell out of me.

I'm baffled by this draft as well. You would have thought we would have grabbed a bullpen arm somewhere in rounds two or three. A light hitting centerfielder potentially and a likely backup catcher was kind of sad. I loved our first pick and our sixth pick looks interesting but after that this draft went south real fast. Disappointed we passed on Denny as well. It really looks like we don't want to spend the bucks. Thanks Angelos...

Old Sneakers wrote:There is nothing wrong with high school talent. It just takes longer.

Which is why this draft confuses me. Looking at our entire farm system I can see perhaps six SPs, five relievers, and four position players that MIGHT be ML caliber over the next three years.Since only one out of three so called "legit" prospect ever really has a meaningful ML career that means our farm system MIGHT produce three regulars through 2016. Four if we're lucky. That wouldn't be enough to replace the players that would normally leave during that period.

So, let's say that we have drafted three regulars in this group. Since the majority of the higher picks are HS, and it normally takes five years for them to be ML ready, that means that we really won't be seeing any return until 2018 or later. By my math that leaves two years with almost nothing being ML ready. Not good.

High school player, let's see, oh yeah Manny Machado. So much for that 5 year rule.

Just kidding. You never know, the draft is such a inaccurate crap shoot. Some may take 7 years before making it and some make it in 3 years or less. Sadly most never make it, including a lot of "can't miss prospects".